Lã Vọng grilled fish is a traditional Vietnamese dish originating in Hanoi. It consists of grilled fish with turmeric and dill.

A: This week, VOVWorld received nearly 400 emails and letters from listeners of 34 countries and territories.

B: Fumito Hokamura of Japan sent us several letters with reception reports for our English broadcasts in April on the frequencies 9840 khz and 12020 khz.

A: Listening on April 6 on 9840 khz, he rated the reception with SINPO of between 3 and 5. Mr. Fumito asked about Vietnamese fish dishes.

B: Thanks for the question, Mr. Fumito. Vietnamese fish dishes vary from region to region. Let’s check out some of the must try typical dishes.

B: It is then grilled on both sides with dill and spring onions and served with vermicelli noodles, roasted peanuts, and a dipping sauce consisting of lime juice, garlic, fish sauce, and sugar. This dish dates back to the French Indochina days of Vietnam.

Claypot-braised fish

A: Claypot-braised fish is a Vietnamese specialty made with fatty fish cuts that are braised in traditional clay pots. The dish is usually prepared with catfish or fresh water fish like snakehead that is braised and caramelized in a combination of fish sauce, sugar, and coconut water, with ingredients including sliced scallions, onions, or garlic.

B: This dish is traditionally served with rice on the side, and it is often accompanied by a bowl of fish-based Vietnamese soup.

A: Grilled snakehead fish is a specialty of the Mekong Delta. The dish is made with a combination of snakehead fish, basil, bananas, mangos, cucumbers, carrots, and green onions.

Deep-fried elephant ear fish

B: The vegetables are thinly sliced and arranged on a serving platter. The fish is washed, speared with a long stick from the mouth to the tail, and is then buried in straw which is set on fire. When the fire stops burning, the fish should be done.

A: Deep-fried elephant ear fish is a typical dish of the Mekong Delta. This specialty is made by deep-frying the fish until it becomes crispy and is fully cooked.

B: The meaty and tender pieces of elephant ear fish are often mixed with cucumbers, pickles, and herbs, and the pieces are then wrapped in rice paper. The rolls are usually dipped in sweet and sour sauce that’s made from fish sauce, hot chili peppers, and garlic.

A: Those above-mentioned dishes are some of the typical fish dishes of Vietnam. But in each region, each commune or village, local people have their own special recipes.

B: Visitors to Phu Yen district, Son La province, should not miss a local dish made from fish caught in the nearby Tac stream. Called “Pa nam Tac”, the dish is loved by both local ethnic people and tourists. 

Called “Pa nam Tac”, the dish is loved by both local ethnic people and tourists.

A: The fish is stuffed with local vegetables, herbs, and seasonings then wrapped in banana leaves before being grilled over a wood fire for 50 minutes. The grilled fish is rich, tasty and has a really subtle taste, especially when eaten with steamed sticky rice and a special salt made by the Thai ethnic community.

B: Recipes for making Vietnamese dishes are available in our Food Delight segment on vovworld.vn. We hope with those recipes, you can make them at home.

A: Siegbert Gerhard of Germany sent us a letter saying VOV broadcasts are informative and contain useful updates about Vietnam and Asian countries. He like such segments  as Current Affairs, Vietnam’s Economy and stories about Vietnamese traditions and customs.

A: Diego Echeverri of Colombia expressed his happiness at becoming a member of VOV saying he will continue to listen to and enjoy VOV programs.

B: José Luis Corcuera of Spain wrote: “During the early days of summer, the reception of VOV broadcasts is clear. I hope I can enjoy it this summer.“

A: Javier González Nungaray of Mexico expressed his interest in Vietnam Book and Reading Culture Day.

B: Vietnam Book and Reading Culture Day 2022 is held annually on April 21 to honor readers, authors, publishers, book distributors, librarians, archive workers, collectors, and those who have promoted reading culture in the community.

A: Various activities to celebrate the event are taking place nationwide throughout this month.

(photo: cand.com.vn)

B: A Book Fair will be held in HCM City drawing 20 publishers and display thousands of book titles. Books are displayed in three areas featuring the themes of digital transformation, book city, and models of reading culture.

A: Activities to introduce books and promote reading culture will be held in Hanoi late this week in the Hanoi Book Street and the Vietnam National Library.

B: An online book festival will be held at the website book365.vn. More than 100 publishers nationwide will introduce 40,000 book titles on the website which also offers readers opportunities to participate in seminars on good books and in exchanges with authors. The website is expected to attract 10 million visits and distribute 30,000 books to readers.

A: Johnny Antonio Ramírez López of Peru expressed his interest in our photo report on Angel Eye (Mat Than) Mountain in Non Nuoc Cao Bang Global Geopark which has lately become a popular travel destination. He wrote: “Angel Eye (Mat Than) Mountain is really amazing, a wonderful example of the beauty of nature. Thanks VOV for giving us an opportunity to admire that beauty. Green grassland with beautiful lakes inspire us to explore beyond our vision. I believe that many tourists will want to visit this scenic spot.“

Angel Eye Mountain is in a beautiful valley surrounded by green pastures (photo: toquoc.vn)

B: Thank you, Johnny, for your comment. Angel Eye Mountain is now one of the enchanting destinations for all travelers coming to Cao Bang. This place is favorably called by tourists by the name ‘absolute cup’.

A: Angel Eye Mountain is in a beautiful valley surrounded by green pastures, giving it a unique, poetic aura. From the top of the mountain, you will be overwhelmed by the view of the 15-hectare Nam Tra lake, a vast green grass surrounded by mountains. Under the mountain are winding corn fields that create a “charming mountain water” beauty. The most special is Phja Piót mountain (“perfected mountain” in the Tay ethnic minority language), because the mountain has a large space through its round back like an eye, which is often referred to by the name of the mountain.

A: According to the native Tay people’s language, Nui Mat Than has the local name “Phja Piót”, which translates to a mountain with a hole, pierced through as if the wind blew from one side to the other. The Angel Eye is actually a circular hole with a diameter of more than 50m, located at an altitude of about 50m above the lake surface.

B: The best time to visit Angel Eye Mountain is in September or October, but the mild weather makes it pleasant to come here at any time of the year.

A: Angel Eye Mountain is 50 kilometers from Cao Bang city. It’s accessible by car or motorbike, but motorbikes are more convenient because of the narrowness of the roads.

The best time to visit Angel Eye Mountain is in September or October, but the mild weather makes it pleasant to come here at any time of the year. (Photo: VNA)

B: Seeing is believing. We hope to welcome our dear listeners in Vietnam and take you on a tour of several scenic spots around the country.

A: We’d also like to acknowledge emails and letters from Bidhan Chandra Sanyal of India, Siddhartha Bhattacharjee of India, Vincentiu Daniel, Rasheed Naz, Riaz Ahamad Khan, and other listeners who posted comments on our Facebook fanpage VOV5 English Service.

A: That concludes today’s program. We welcome your feedback at: English Service, VOVWorld, the Voice of Vietnam, 45 Ba Trieu street, Hanoi, Vietnam. Or you can email us at: englishsection@vov.vn. You’re invited to visit us online at vovworld.vn, where you can hear both live and recorded programs.

B: Check out our VOV Media App, available on both the IOS and Android platforms, to hear our live broadcasts. We look forward to your feedback on the mobile version of vovworld.vn. Once again, thank you all for listening. Goodbye.